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Some companies make products, others truly seek to make a
difference. It’s those companies that have gone above and
beyond—taking extra steps to care for the planet and people—who
serve as the inspiration for our two part series “Building Businesses For
a Better World.”
Having just celebrated Earth Day, we hope the first part of this series,
which centers around environmental sustainability, encourages you to
take a closer look at your company’s impact on the planet and issues
like global warming and waste. The organic industry has pioneered one
of the largest and most successful sustainability move-
ments ever, and now consumers are looking to us to set
the “green standard” in every area of our businesses. In
this issue’s cover story, renowned environmental con-
sultant Michael Brown walks us through some ways to
go greener—thinking about eco-consequences of the
full life of a product, from the energy and materials
used to create it to where it ends up when it’s “used
up.”
In Dialogue, we chatted with famed eco-designer and
co-author of the revolutionary book Cradle to Cradle,
Bill McDonough, who takes the concept of product life cycles one step
further, exploring ways to actually eliminate the concept of waste as we
know it.
One company that’s leading the way in both environmental and
social responsibility is Organic Valley, featured in this issue’s Enterprise.
They are proof that the triple bottom line can really work and offer
some great real world examples of how to make a difference through
your business.
But do consumers really care about all this? The answer is “yes”
according to The Hartman Group, whose sustainability study is featured
in Market. Consumers are looking to you to help them create a better
future. I know, as a core organic consumer, I always try to buy products
from companies who I see are doing the right thing. It’s empowering to
know that with each organic purchase I am doing something good for
myself, as well as the planet and others I share it with. On the other
hand, when I see organic products with irresponsible packaging or marketing materials, it puts up a red flag, making me question the authenticity of that company.
In Managing, Mark Davis discusses what it really means to be an
authentic leader. For most of us in organic, we say we care about the
planet and people, but being authentic means doing what we say we
believe in. The first step is education—read up on the subject, watch
“The Inconvenient Truth,” be knowledgeable about reducing carbon
emissions, recycling and eco-friendly packaging. Make sure that everyone you work with, from your marketing team to your employees, is part
of this mission too.
Together we can make a difference!
Chief Executive Officer Don Meeker
Publisher Stacy Atchison
Advertising Manager Bobby Meeker
Editorial Director Kathryn Schuett
Art Director Craig Van Wechel
Circulation Manager Andrea Karges
Sales Assistant Allison Demmert
Office Manager Vicki Martin
Publishing Office 1945 W. Mountain St.
Glendale, CA 91201
Phone 310.745.0941
Fax 310.745.0997
info@organicprocessing.com
Editorial Office 1221 E. Laguna Drive
Tempe, AZ 85282
Phone 480.240.0932
kat@organicprocessing.com
Production Office 305 Princeton Rd.
Fort Collins, CO 80525
Phone 970.484.4488
craig@organicprocessing.com
Advertising Sales
Stacy Atchison 310.745.0941
stacy@organicprocessing.com
Bobby Meeker 818.842.2829
bobby@organicprocessing.com
Adam Haas 561.347.8445
adam@organicprocessing.com
Printed on recycled paper.
Kat Schuett
Editorial Director
Organic Processing (USPS 024-104) is published
quarterly by The Target Group Inc., 1945 W.
Mountain St., Glendale, CA 91201; Phone
310.745.0941; Fax 310.745.0997; E-mail
info@organicprocessing.com. Periodicals postage
paid at Glendale, CA and at additional mailing
offices. Subscriptions: Free to qualified readers as
defined on the subscription card. All other U.S.
subscriptions, $10 per issue.
Change of Address: Notices should be sent
providing old mailing label as well as new address.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Organic
Processing, 1945 W. Mountain St., Glendale, CA
91201. © 2008 by The Target Group Inc. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without
written permission is strictly prohibited. The publishers do not warrant, either expressly or by
implication, the factual accuracy of the articles or
descriptions herein, nor do they so warrant any
views or opinions offered by the authors of said
articles and descriptions.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Organic Processing
provides an independent forum for
the exchange of practical and
relevant information, ideas and
experience that will promote and
sustain the growth of organic
processing from seed to shelf.
